---
type: "Bill"
title: "Public Utilities Review Committee"
description: "AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REVIEW COMMITTEE TO EXTEND THE SCREENING FOR CANDIDATES FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, SEATS 1, 3, 5, AND 7; TO REQUIRE THESE POSITIONS TO BE ADVERTISED FOR AN ADDITIONAL TIME PERIOD AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH CERTAIN PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS; TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM FEBRUARY 3, 2020, THROUGH NOON ON FEBRUARY 28, 2020; TO PROVIDE WHO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REVIEW COMMITTEE MAY CONSIDER; TO PROVIDE WHEN TRANSCRIPTS FROM PUBLIC HEARINGS MAY BE RELEASED; AND TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REVIEW COMMITTEE. - ratified title"
jurisdiction: "us/states/sc"
legislature: "South Carolina General Assembly"
session: "2019-2020"
identifier: "S 996"
citation: "South Carolina S 996 (2019-2020)"
classification: ["joint resolution"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Alexander", "Hutto", "Rankin"]
version_count: 8
action_count: 23
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2020-01-14"
last_action: "2020-10-09"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/e5fea1f5-96ad-4e27-8f2e-b8353c1a91f4"
source_url: "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=996&session=123&summary=B"
source_hash: "b26a46f4b585c9345d86f8d17897ce6fb79397a5e8593c9110d5a57f212f47a7"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-sc"]
---

# South Carolina S 996 (2019-2020) — Public Utilities Review Committee

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REVIEW COMMITTEE TO EXTEND THE SCREENING FOR CANDIDATES FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, SEATS 1, 3, 5, AND 7; TO REQUIRE THESE POSITIONS TO BE ADVERTISED FOR AN ADDITIONAL TIME PERIOD AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH CERTAIN PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS; TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM FEBRUARY 3, 2020, THROUGH NOON ON FEBRUARY 28, 2020; TO PROVIDE WHO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REVIEW COMMITTEE MAY CONSIDER; TO PROVIDE WHEN TRANSCRIPTS FROM PUBLIC HEARINGS MAY BE RELEASED; AND TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REVIEW COMMITTEE. - ratified title

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Filed** (filed) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/bills/996.htm)
2. **1/14/2020** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/996_20200114.htm)
3. **1/15/2020** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/996_20200115.htm)
4. **1/16/2020** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/996_20200116.htm)
5. **1/21/2020** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/996_20200121.htm)
6. **1/23/2020** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/996_20200123.htm)
7. **1/30/2020** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/996_20200130.htm)
8. **1/31/2020** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess123_2019-2020/prever/996_20200131.htm)

## Votes

- Passage of Bill — **78–32** (pass) · lower
- Concur in Senate Amendments — **79–19** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading — **37–0** (pass) · upper
- Waive Rule 5.15 Printing — **76–31** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Alexander — primary (person)
- Hutto — primary (person)
- Rankin — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2020-01-14** Introduced and read first time `introduction, reading-1`
- **2020-01-14** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2020-01-15** Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
- **2020-01-15** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2020-01-16** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2020-01-16** Read third time and sent to House `passage, reading-3`
- **2020-01-16** Roll call Ayes-37 Nays-0
- **2020-01-21** Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar without reference `introduction, reading-1`
- **2020-01-22** Requests for debate-Rep(s). King, Rutherford, Cobb-Hunter, Ott, Brawley, Govan, Garvin, Matthews, Bamberg, S Williams, Gilliard, Fry, Crawford, Clemmons, Moore
- **2020-01-23** Requests for debate removed-Rep(s). King, Fry, Crawford, Rutherford, S Williams, Ott, Brawley, Garvin, Matthews, Clemmons, Cobb-Hunter, Moore
- **2020-01-23** Amended `amendment-passage`
- **2020-01-23** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2020-01-23** Roll call Yeas-78 Nays-32
- **2020-01-28** Returned to Senate with amendments
- **2020-01-30** House amendment amended `amendment-amendment`
- **2020-01-30** Returned to House with amendments
- **2020-01-31** Scrivener's error corrected
- **2020-02-05** Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
- **2020-02-05** Roll call Yeas-79 Nays-19
- **2020-02-06** Ratified R 118
- **2020-02-06** Signed By Governor `executive-signature`
- **2020-02-11** Effective date 02/06/2020
- **2020-10-09** Act No. 181

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/e5fea1f5-96ad-4e27-8f2e-b8353c1a91f4`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official South Carolina legislature records).